Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf: POLO Dubai

One of the 36 overseas operating units of the Department of Labor And Employment, POLO Dubai functions as an employment facilitation and welfare protection. “We evaluate and verify employment documents to protect job seekers from unscrupulous recruiters and bad employers,” says Labor Attache Delmer Cruz, Head of POLO. “Once on-site, workers are extended direct services like welfare and repatriation assistance, OEC and OWWA membership issuance, among others. Then we help the OFWs prepare for their eventual return and reintegration to the Philippines through the various skills and livelihood training activities that we conduct.”

POLO Dubai banks on service improvement, expanding and enhancing their training programs. ​The organization started the on-site awarding of livelihood starter kits for distressed workers and piloted the on-site skills assessment and certification program and soon will be the first TESDA-accredited assessment center abroad. POLO was also among the first that implemented the BM online ​appointment system that eliminated the long queues of OEC applicants. Because of all of these programs in December 2014, POLO Dubai was cited by the Secretary of Labor as the best POLO. “It is the thought of helping people – assisting distressed workers, helping employers with their manpower requirements, empowering ordinary OFWs through upskilling, financial literacy, livelihood and other capacity-building programs, and developing friendships in the community.,” says Cruz. “The experience is indeed challenging but if you love your job, it is fulfilling at the same time.”

POLO continues to build on the positive initiatives of present and past leaderships, serving the people back home and empowering the least of them.